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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bank — for money
  3. sharp — clever
  4. present — the time now
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bank — of a river
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. bank — for money
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. ball — a great time
  20. track — a song
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com